Gazelle: “We will soon be producing more e-Bikes than regular bicycles”
In a statement to mark the 15 millionth bicycle to roll off Gazelle’s production lines the Dutch firm has outlined that as the mobility picture changes the business is on course to produce more e-Bikes than pedal cycles.
Producing around 250,000 bicycles annually and now with power generated from the assembly line’s roof, the 125 year-old brand currently places its electric bike production at around 35% of trade, but that figure is set to further grow explains Ferdi Ertekin of Gazelle.
In 2017 87,000 electric bikes were sold by Gazelle, while this year’s target aims to be north of 100,000. 77% of those e-Bikes carried Bosch motors, placing many at the premium end of the market.
“We will soon be producing even more e-bikes than regular bicycles. The electrification makes the bicycle a serious alternative to many trips. The average commuting distance, for example, is 15 kilometers. With the electric bike and speed pedelec, these and even longer distances can easily be bridged. Especially now that there is more choice in financing – you can buy, lease and pay off – electric bikes become interesting for an even broader audience.”
Keeping pace with fellow European brands with increasing electric trade, Gazelle is fast working toward establishing a portfolio of smart bikes, packed with technology to make commuter and leisure cyclist’s lives easier.
“The development of the ‘internet of things’ has also given us ideas. Everything and everyone will soon be connected to the internet in real-time, including our bicycles. There are opportunities: you will soon be better protected against bicycle theft and the e-bike will report itself if maintenance is necessary. In addition, trends such as bike sharing and bike rental will get a boost, because that will be easier with smart bicycles and online applications,” added Ertekin.
Gazelle ships bicycles and e-Bikes all over the globe, most recently introducing a California arm, something that Gazelle hopes will inspire cultural change in urban mobility in the U.S..
In the U.S., the firm’s electric bike sales for 2017 sat at 2,000, half of the target for the year ahead.